The growth and replication of living eukaryotic cells are regulated by lots of signals from outside and also from inside. Cell receives various signals from other cells by messengers, such as growth factor, which are recognized by cell surface receptors. On the other hands, inside of cell, intensive signals keep firing throughout the multiple networks to process/response the signal from outside and to check/maintain the right metabolism of cells (ex. DNA replication, DNA damage response) and to monitor physiological stress of cells (ex. nutrient depletion)
These inside-cell signaling networks are often composed of sensor, switch, adaptor, transducer and effector, like a sophisticated electric machine.
Among these components, a few numbers of molecular switches control the lots of cellular process. Interestingly, these molecular switches can also integrated the information from sensor and determine the responses.
Any unexpected disruption of these signaling pathway is responsible for human disease.
Dr. Kim is interesting in the biomolecular interactions between the components of signaling pathway molecules to improve our understanding of cellular process and to give a fundamental basis of rational approach to therapeutic intervention.

• ㆍProtein engineering
• ㆍProtein/DNA/RNA interaction
• ㆍX-ray crystallography
• ㆍElectron Microscopy
• ㆍMembrane protein crystallography

• ㆍChun Inseop, Kim MS, et al., (2023) Structural basis of DNA binding by the NAC transcription factor ORE1, a master regulator of plant senescence. Plant Communications 4. 100510
• ㆍKim Jieun, Kim MS, et al., (2021) Crystal structure of human interleukin-2 in complex with TCB2, a new antibody-drug candidate with antitumor activity. OncoImmunology 10, 1899671
• ㆍLee CH, Kim MS, et al., (2020) Structure-Function Analyses of a Keratin Heterotypic Complex Identify Specific Keratin Regions Involved in Intermediate Filament Assembly. Structure 28, 355-362
• ㆍKim MS, Wei Yang et al., (2018) Cracking the DNA Code for V(D)J Recombination. Molecular Cell 70, 358-370
• ㆍTian Lan, Kim MS. et al., (2018) Structure of HIV-1 reverse transcriptase cleaving RNA in an RNA/DNA hybrid. PNAS 115. 507-512
• ㆍNotarangel L.D., Kim MS, et al., (2016) Human RAG mutations: biochemistry and clinical implications. Nat Rev lmmunol 16, 234-246
• ㆍKim MS, Lapkouski M., et al., (2015) Crystal structure of the V(D)J recombinase RAG1-RAG2. Nature 518, 507-511
• ㆍLee CH, Kim MS, et al., (2012) Structural basis for heteromeric assembly and perinuclear organization of keratin filaments. NSMB 19, 707-715
• ㆍKim MS, Saunders A.M., et al., Structure of the protein core of the glypican Dally-like and localization of a region important for hedgehog signaling. PNAS 108, 13112-13117
• ㆍLim JH, Kim MS, et al., Structural basis for preferential recognition of diaminopimelic acid-type peptidoglycan by a subset of peptidoglycan recognition proteins. JBC 281, 8286-8295
• ㆍKim MS, Yi MJ, et al., (2005) Biochemical and crystallographic studies reveal a specific interaction between TRAPP subunits Trs33p and Bet3p. Traffic 6, 1183-1195
• ㆍKim MS, Shin J, et al., (2003) Crystal structures of RbsD leading to the identification of cytoplasmic sugar-binding proteins with a novel folding architecture. JBC 278, 28173-28180
• ㆍKim MS, Byun M, et al.,(2003) Crystal structure of peptidoglycan recognition protein LB from Drosophila melanogaster. Nat lmmunol 4, 787-793

• ㆍB.S., POSTECH. Korea (1998)
• ㆍM.S., POSTECH. Korea (2000)
• ㆍPh.D., POSTECH. Korea (2003)

• ㆍ2003-2006 : Postdoctoral Fellow, Dept. of Life Sciences, POSTECH
• ㆍ2006-2012 : Postdoctoral Fellow, Dept. of Biophysics and Biophysical Chemistry, Johns Hopkins University
• ㆍ2012-2014 : Research Fellow, NIDDK, National Institutes of Health
• ㆍ2014-2017 : Staff Scientist, NIDDK, National Institutes of Health
• ㆍ2017-2023 : Assistant Professor, Div. of Integrative Biosciences & Biotechnology (IBB), POSTECH
• ㆍ2023-Present : Associate Professor. Department of Life Sciences, POSTECH